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The house I bought 6 months ago has a sprinkler system in the backyard that I really need to take advantage of to repair the damaged lawn. Best of all, it has a well pump...except, I don't know if it works or not.

So I bought a 6 station timer from Home Depot (Orbit Easy-Set Logic Model 57896) and brought it home.

The old timer was rusted up and a mess of wires, so I did my best to clean it up but didn't remove the box yet so I know what I am dealing with.

Problem is, there aren't very good directions on the Orbit website for outside power to this timer (box instructions focus on the plug-in attached) and no videos specific to it...plus, nothing mentioned about how to hook up to the well pump.

So basically, I need a "Sprinkler Timer With Well Pump" for Dummies.

Right now I am hoping to hook it all up and it work perfectly. However, I don't even know if the pump works or not...which is what I was hoping this timer would help me test.

This is my current situation (the new timer panel is in the lower left):

So far, I understand:

- take one wire each from the pair of valve wires coming from each solenoid and connect to ONE common wire. I assume that wire plugs into the "COM" plug on the timer panel.
- plug the rest of them as I wish into each valve wire

I don't understand:

- How to connect pump to timer or how it starts period...am I missing a device that does that that I need to purchase?
- What is that extra wire coming from the power outlet into the old box next to the hot and neutral? Seems to be spliced and connected to the valve wires?!?

Unless there is something special to that controller, You need a relay to start that pump. It will receive its signal to start from that pump terminal on the controller and use the extra common terminal. The relay will have power wired to it separate and will switch the power to the pump on and off depending on the signal from the sprinkler control. When the signal is sent to the relay, it starts the pump and charges the system with water at the "manifold" or point where all incoming water supply lines are piped to the solenoids and out to the zones not just a particular zone. Each zone is then switched on and off by the controller you purchased through the valve solenoids. Your logic appears sound on the wiring of the valve solenoids. Look for a relay accessory through Orbit our your local irrigation supply house. Depending on the size of the pump, the may call it a contactor but the concept is the same.

Im not familiar with that controller. Orbit makes decent heads and fittings, never used their controllers. RainBird is all that I have installed.

Wow, thanks man. I see now. Now I am thinking what I removed was just a pump relay...they never had a timer- just ON or OFF I guess. Is that possible?

Anyhow, this puts me in a bind as the timer and relay need separate power sources. I only have that wiring coming from a nearby outdoor outlet. Could I put relay to that and then just mount the timer and use the standard plug-in into that GFI outlet? They would still be on same circuit.

I guess it is. Did you ever see it run? Is that pump motor 120 or 230 v? Guessing 120 wired but dual rated if it was originally wired to that recept. I would put a new relay back there and run some cheap 18 ga direct bury wire from the solenoids to the controller plugged into a separate outlet. Get the relay wired and pump working first. Then the other is simple.